(Madan Menon Thottasseri)
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U.S president Obama’s first leg of nine-day Asian tour landed into a major set-back, as he and the Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama failed to resolve the disagreement on the issue of U.S armed forces in the Japanese soil. Though both leaders agreed to co-operate to promote nuclear disarmament and also pledged for participating in the movement for global warming, they agreed to put off to straighten-out one of their pending disagreements, a million dollar deal to move out U.S Maries from Japan and relocation of a Military Base.
It will be evident that Hatoyama’s new government had pledged to steer the diplomatic course less dependence on the decades-long allies and protector for creating closer ties with Asian countries. The previous proposal of shifting the U.S Air Base at Futenma to the less densely populated Okinawa is to be reviewed with a view to moving the Air base outside the Okinawa island or even from outside the country itself. Because the key promise to Japanese electorate by the Prime Minister that chronicled an overwhelming victory election in August,2009 was the relocation of the around half of 47,000 U.S troops in Japan which are concentrated at the city of Okinawa, an overcrowded southern island. Okinawa is the only part of Japan that saw a battle in the world-war II.
By opting to deviate from the promise, Hatoyama would have exasperated the people of Japan, particularly the residents Okinawa Island. The big presence of U.S Marines at Okinawa was source of lingering resentments on the crime, pollution and cultural shocks caused by troops on the local community.
In Japan, Obama gestured his unique rhetoric skills stating that he started his trip in Tokyo because the alliance lays the foundation for security and prosperity, not just for two nations but for the whole of Asia-Pacific region. He even went to extent of categorizing U.S.A as a Pacific nation for intensifying U.S commitment in this part of the world!
During the last one decade, U.S and Japan have been contemplating a complex realignment programme to enable the relocation of around 9000 Marines to Guam, the U.S owned Pacific island, wherein two thirds of the total cost of USD 10 billions is to be borne by Japan.
In order to adhere with his election promises, Hatoyama will have to risk the disaffection of its ally and protector for the past 64 years. The Japanese regime must learn to change old habits and dependencies and should not outcast themselves from the Asian fold.
It is high time that U.S withdraw troops from Japan when it has bases at Guam and Midway in the Pacific region. It will be disappointing from a President if Obama doesn’t rise to the level and use his executive power to correct a misguided decades-old policy. China is certainly not going to gobble down Japan and make it pay for its world-war crimes against Chinese people. Can we expect that the presence of 40,000 U.S troops is the only thing that will stop North Korea from embarking on a suicidal war? Can Obama break the quid-pro-quo between the top political analysts that U.S have a pre-emptive right on Japanese bases to support Middle East Operations and the Japan need to continue gaining from the perceived security to manage threats of any sorts! Obama have to know the reality that there is no reason for U.S military bases in Japan. Neither Obama nor Hatoyama gracefully attempted to comprehend the ground realities as they are in no mood to renounce their inhibitions attached with their pedestals of political anarchy.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the news of protest to Obama and the Government in Japan while thousands of people rallied in the streets of Tokyo hardly ever captured the attention of international media.
After Obama’s visit, naturally political analysts in Japan may raise concerns that in case U.S bases are to be shifted out of the country, Washington will comfortably warm-up with China to form a ‘Group Of Two’ leaving Tokyo in the cold. Simultaneously few in U.S will be equally worried while Tokyo shows the signs of distancing from its powerful ally.
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It will be evident that Hatoyama’s new government had pledged to steer the diplomatic course less dependence on the decades-long allies and protector for creating closer ties with Asian countries. The previous proposal of shifting the U.S Air Base at Futenma to the less densely populated Okinawa is to be reviewed with a view to moving the Air base outside the Okinawa island or even from outside the country itself. Because the key promise to Japanese electorate by the Prime Minister that chronicled an overwhelming victory election in August,2009 was the relocation of the around half of 47,000 U.S troops in Japan which are concentrated at the city of Okinawa, an overcrowded southern island. Okinawa is the only part of Japan that saw a battle in the world-war II.
By opting to deviate from the promise, Hatoyama would have exasperated the people of Japan, particularly the residents Okinawa Island. The big presence of U.S Marines at Okinawa was source of lingering resentments on the crime, pollution and cultural shocks caused by troops on the local community.
In Japan, Obama gestured his unique rhetoric skills stating that he started his trip in Tokyo because the alliance lays the foundation for security and prosperity, not just for two nations but for the whole of Asia-Pacific region. He even went to extent of categorizing U.S.A as a Pacific nation for intensifying U.S commitment in this part of the world!
During the last one decade, U.S and Japan have been contemplating a complex realignment programme to enable the relocation of around 9000 Marines to Guam, the U.S owned Pacific island, wherein two thirds of the total cost of USD 10 billions is to be borne by Japan.
In order to adhere with his election promises, Hatoyama will have to risk the disaffection of its ally and protector for the past 64 years. The Japanese regime must learn to change old habits and dependencies and should not outcast themselves from the Asian fold.
It is high time that U.S withdraw troops from Japan when it has bases at Guam and Midway in the Pacific region. It will be disappointing from a President if Obama doesn’t rise to the level and use his executive power to correct a misguided decades-old policy. China is certainly not going to gobble down Japan and make it pay for its world-war crimes against Chinese people. Can we expect that the presence of 40,000 U.S troops is the only thing that will stop North Korea from embarking on a suicidal war? Can Obama break the quid-pro-quo between the top political analysts that U.S have a pre-emptive right on Japanese bases to support Middle East Operations and the Japan need to continue gaining from the perceived security to manage threats of any sorts! Obama have to know the reality that there is no reason for U.S military bases in Japan. Neither Obama nor Hatoyama gracefully attempted to comprehend the ground realities as they are in no mood to renounce their inhibitions attached with their pedestals of political anarchy.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the news of protest to Obama and the Government in Japan while thousands of people rallied in the streets of Tokyo hardly ever captured the attention of international media.
After Obama’s visit, naturally political analysts in Japan may raise concerns that in case U.S bases are to be shifted out of the country, Washington will comfortably warm-up with China to form a ‘Group Of Two’ leaving Tokyo in the cold. Simultaneously few in U.S will be equally worried while Tokyo shows the signs of distancing from its powerful ally.
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